The aim of the present study was to analyze the antibiotic susceptibility of bifidobacterial strains distributed in the Japanese market. A total of 23 strains, including probiotic isolates from foods, supplements, pharmaceuticals and reference strains of each species (or subspecies), were tested for susceptibility to 15 antibiotics by the broth microdilution method and examined for the presence of possible resistant determinants. The strains were susceptible overall to chloramphenicol, ampicillin, vancomycin and linezolid, and were intrinsically resistant to aminoglycoside group agents. Susceptibility to erythromycin, clindamycin, rifampicin, tetracycline and trimethoprim varied among the strains. All strains of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis were resistant to tetracycline and appeared to harbor tet(W) genes. No risk factor for safety was found for bifidobacterial strains distributed in the Japanese market in respect of their antimicrobial resistance, although the presence of the tet(W) gene in some strains stresses the need for future evaluation.

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